7. Can you write your own vows? Yes, your day is special to you, you should have vows with meaning to both of you. The vows must meet minimum California family law requirements.

2. Can a friend or family member preform the ceremony? Yes, however, the State of California requires the person preforming/officiating the ceremony be ordained. I can help, it's easy.

3. What is Bayview Officiants?A website which lists a group of independent officiants so you can contact them directly and make your own arrangements for the variety of services they provide. Officiants listed are not under any contract or obligation to Bayview Officiants webmaster. Each officiant sets their own pricing and their own contracts.

4. What areas are covered by officiants listed on this site?That is totally up to the individual officiant and the arrangements you and the independent officiant agree upon.

More questions answered as they come in.

5. Are any Bayview Officiants bilingual?We do have a bilingual officiant associated with Bayview Officiants at this time. See the officiant profiles on opening page.Miguel Rocha.

9. What is required in California to get married?

The following is a copy of the California Family Code regarding marriage.

FAMILY.CODESECTION 420-426

420. (a) No particular form for the ceremony of marriage isrequired for solemnization of the marriage, but the parties shalldeclare, in the physical presence of the person solemnizing themarriage and necessary witnesses, that they take each other ashusband and wife.(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a member of the Armed Forcesof the United States who is stationed overseas and serving in aconflict or a war and is unable to appear for the licensure andsolemnization of the marriage may enter into that marriage by theappearance of an attorney in fact, commissioned and empowered inwriting for that purpose through a power of attorney. The attorney infact must personally appear at the county clerk's office with theparty who is not stationed overseas, and present the original powerof attorney duly signed by the party stationed overseas andacknowledged by a notary or witnessed by two officers of the UnitedStates Armed Forces. Copies in any form, including by facsimile, arenot acceptable. The power of attorney shall state the full givennames at birth, or by court order, of the parties to be married, andthat the power of attorney is solely for the purpose of authorizingthe attorney in fact to obtain a marriage license on the person'sbehalf and participate in the solemnization of the marriage. Theoriginal power of attorney shall be a part of the marriagecertificate upon registration.(c) No contract of marriage, if otherwise duly made, shall beinvalidated for want of conformity to the requirements of anyreligious sect.

421. Before solemnizing a marriage, the person solemnizing themarriage shall require the presentation of the marriage license. Ifthe person solemnizing the marriage has reason to doubt thecorrectness of the statement of facts in the marriage license, theperson must be satisfied as to the correctness of the statement offacts before solemnizing the marriage. For this purpose, the personmay administer oaths and examine the parties and witnesses in thesame manner as the county clerk does before issuing the license.

422. The person solemnizing a marriage shall, sign and print ortype upon the marriage license a statement, in the form prescribed bythe State Department of Public Health, showing all of the following:

(a) The fact, date (month, day, year), and place (city and county)of solemnization.(b) The printed names, signatures, and mailing addresses of atleast one, and no more than two, witnesses to the ceremony.(c) The official position of the person solemnizing the marriage,or of the denomination of which that person is a priest, minister,rabbi, or other authorized person of any religious denomination.(d) The person solemnizing the marriage shall also type or printhis or her name and mailing address.

423. The person solemnizing the marriage shall return the marriagelicense, endorsed as required in Section 422, to the county recorderof the county in which the license was issued within 10 days afterthe ceremony.

425. If no record of the solemnization of a California marriagepreviously contracted under this division for that marriage is knownto exist, the parties may purchase a License and Certificate ofDeclaration of Marriage from the county clerk in the parties' countyof residence one year or more from the date of the marriage. Thelicense and certificate shall be returned to the county recorder ofthe county in which the license was issued.

426. If for sufficient reason, as described in subdivision (d),either or both of the parties to be married are physically unable toappear in person before the county clerk, a marriage license may beissued by the county clerk to the person solemnizing the marriage ifthe following requirements are met:(a) The person solemnizing the marriage physically presents anaffidavit to the county clerk explaining the reason for the inabilityto appear.(b) The affidavit is signed under penalty of perjury by the personsolemnizing the marriage and by both parties.(c) The signature of any party to be married who is unable toappear in person before the county clerk is authenticated by a notarypublic or a court prior to the county clerk issuing the marriagelicense.(d) Sufficient reason includes proof of hospitalization,incarceration, or any other reason proved to the satisfaction of thecounty clerk.

6. What is an Elopement package, a Basic package, and a Custom package ?

An elopement is a pre-written ceremony with only the couple getting married and a few friends, usually under 10 people.An Basic is a pre-written ceremony with over 10 people and may include a processional, recessional. Can include minor changes.A Custom is a ceremony which is created with components selected or written by couple getting married. Can include blessings, readings, special items, and additional items the couple may desire. Usually designed for large weddings.

8. Can either bride or groom purchase a certified marriage certificate? Yes, a bride or groom can purchase a certified copy of the marriage certificate either in person, via mail, or online. See the county website for details.

1. Where can a couple get a marriage license in Monterey County? You can get your marriage license at the Monterey County Recorder's Office located at 168 W. Alisal St. in Salinas.OFFICE HOURS : Currently are Monday through Friday 8 AM to 4:30 PM for marriage licenses. For certificates, 8 AM to 5 PM.

Click on the Monterey County icon above to go to the Marriage page for Monterey County for additional information.